The Heart of the Story
by I'm Crazy But Lovely 1996
Summary: This is a origin story for my future Hermione/Draco story. It basically follows the Founders' of Hogwarts story but with a few little plot twists of mine. If you want to fine out what those juicy plot twists are then read. You don't need to read this story to understand Founders' Redemption, which is the future Hermione/Draco story I was talking about earlier in this summary.
1. Prologue

**The Heart of the Story**

**Prologue**

A thousand years or more ago

When I was newly sewn,

There lived four wizards of renown,

Whose names are still well-known:

Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,

Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,

Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,

Shrewd Slytherin, from fin.

They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,

They hatched a daring plan

To educate young sorcerers

Thus Hogwarts School began.

Each formed their own house,

For each valued different virtues;

By Gryffindor, the bravest were

Prized far beyond the rest;

For Ravenclaw, the cleverest

Would always be the best;

For Hufflepuff, hard workers were

Most worthy of admission;

And power-hungry Slytherin

Loved those of great ambition.

_(Goblet of Fire, 176-177)_

In times of old when I was new

And Hogwarts barely started

The founders of our noble school

Thought never to be parted:

United by a common goal,

They had the selfsame yearning,

To make the world's best magic school

And pass along their learning.

For were there such friends anywhere

As Slytherin and Gryffindor?

Unless it was the second pair

Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?

So how could it have gone so wrong?

How could such a friendship fail?

Said Slytherin, "We'll teach just those

Whose ancestry is purest."

Said Ravenclaw, "We'll teach those whose

Intelligence is surest."

Said Gryffindor, "We'll teach all those

With brave deeds to their name,"

Said Hufflepuff, "I'll teach the lot,

And treat them just the same."

So Hogwarts worked in harmony

For several happy years,

But then discord crept among us

Feeding on our faults and fears.

The houses that, like pillars four,

Had once held up our school,

Now turned upon each other and,

Divided, sought to rule.

And for a while it seemed the school

Must meet an early end,

What with dueling and with fighting

And the clash of friend on friend

And at last there came a morning

When old Slytherin departed

And though the fighting then died out

He left us quite downhearted.

And never since the founders four

Were whittled down to three

Have the Houses been united

As they once were meant to be.

_(Order of the Phoenix, 205-207)_


	2. Godric Gryffindor

**Chapter 1**

**Godric Gryffindor**

Over a thousand years ago, from wild moor, there was a courageous and determined man with a pure heart, mane-like red hair, green eyes, and a powerful build. Who is this man you say? Who is this man that is the most accomplished dueler in all the land and can predict his opponent's every move? His name strikes fear in anyone who dares to hurt innocence. Indeed Godric Gryffindor is feared, but he is also loved by his men-in-arms and the villagers he protects.

Where is this hero do you ask? At this moment he is doing his duties as village leader, he is taking care of any job that the villagers need help with. The duties of a leader can be stressful but he is so pure of heart that he doesn't mind on bit. He doesn't mind so much that he is willing to drop everything to help a crippled man get from point A to point B even if it takes him all day.

At this moment he is helping the school teacher fix up the schoolhouse, when an unknown man came running into the village yelling for help.

"HELP! HELP!"

Godric ran to the strange man and when he got to him he asked "What's wrong stranger?"

The strange man answered back franticly "MY VILLAGE, MY VILLAGE IS ABOUT TO BE ATTACKED BY MUGGLES".

"Calm down sir and tell me everything" ordered Godric.

Before he spoke he took a deep breathe to calm down, "my village full of magical creatures is about to be attacked by a magic-hating muggle army. I came here to find you because everyone heard you were a great defender of magic. So will you help us?"

"It will be are pleasure to protect your village. Can you please tell us were your village is?"

"I live in a small village in the middle of the country, its name is hogsmeade"

That's all Godric need to hear so he ran to all his solders to tell them to prepare for battle. He and his men ran to the stables to prepare their horses for the 3 day journey ahead. Godric and his army dressed themselves and their horses in the colors that distinguishes them from other armies. As the army walk towards the path, to the endangered village, the villagers feel a shiver of fear through their bodies, even though they know these men, in red and gold, will never harm them.

Before they make their way into the forest, the men halt waiting for their leader to make the command to go forward.

Godric raises his most treasured sword, adored with rubies on the handle and his name engraved below the hilt, in the air and yelled "FORWARD".

**2 days into the journey **

It's the last day of this journey and Godric was getting the feeling that something big was about to happen, but he couldn't figure out what; after all going to battle against a muggle army was the norm ever since muggles learned of the existence of magic and the people/creatures that weld it. Muggles fear magic for many reason, one reason is that they are afraid of what magic is capable of if in the wrong hand. Godric understood this fear because even magic folk like himself fear this and one day he feels that the magic community will have to face the consequences of a wizard using their gifts for the wrong reasons. Another reason muggles fear magic folk is because of how magic folk treat them. A lot of wizards that are higher up in the world treat muggles like inferior beings and some even kidnap them to make them slaves.

It is because of the muggle's hatred and fear of magic welding folk that caused Wizards to in turn hate and fear them. Godric under stood this cycle of fear and hatred all too well. When he was a young boy a group of muggles came to his village to kill anyone that has magic within them, it was because of their hatred and their fear that, when they killed Godric's parents and little sister, they took pleasure in the slaughter. It is because of that attack on his village that caused him to join a renegade of wizards that attack villages and kill the muggles in them.

It was one day when Godric and his renegade came across a traveling muggle family that turned him into a strong fighter against muggle-discrimination. On that day when the renegade caught sight of the family, they charged and begin to slaughter an innocent family. Godric just stood there in utter shock as his friends killed the parents of this innocent looking little girl and as he stood before the carnage he saw the faces of his dead parents and little sister in the faces of the family his friends murdered in cold-blood. Godric at that moment saw that he took part in the constant cycle of hate and fear between muggles and magic folk. It was that moment that he wished there was a safe place that can separate muggles and wizard forever and can teach young wizards how to not only control the magic inside them but how to use it for good.

As Godric and his army march to Hogsmeade, Godric thinks about his wish once more and when he looks up to the night sky he watches as a shooting star flies before his eyes. At that very moment he made a promise before the gods that he will create such a place for all of magic kind.

"Godric we are almost there, the outskirts of the village is just behind the hill" it was that statement that brought Godric out of his thought and forced him to focus on the situation at hand.

He yelled to his men "Men march to and over that hill and there we will be at are designation".

And so they did and as they walked into a clearing on the outskirts of the village 3 other groups of wizards walked into the clearing as well. From the colors that they were wearing, Godric knows that he has ran into the armies of the famous Rowena Ravenclaw, in blue and bronze, Salazar Slytherin, in green and silver, and the renegade of nurses lead by Helga Hufflepuff, in yellow and black.

"I thought you only called us to battle the muggle army" Godric asked the man from this village feeling as though this man think his army is incompetent to do the job.

"Sorry but no. My village full of wizards isn't the only thing they are here to destroy. The forest surrounding it is filled with magical creature as well and from the size of the army they are here to destroy everything in this area. We called the 2 other armies because you will need their help to defeat the massive muggle army."

If what he says is true Godric feels that whoever wins this battle will win the war between muggles and wizards; and finally put an end to the violence that has been raging for 8 long years. If tomorrow wizards win then there is hope for his earlier promise to begin, but if muggles win then he will be forced to break his promise; because if muggles win tomorrow then every magical being in the world will either be killed or put into slavery.


	3. Helga Hufflepuff

**Chapter 2**

**Helga Hufflepuff**

Helga's POV

As the leader of a magical guild of nurses you tend to not stay in one place for all of a couple days, maybe not even that. As of now my guild is staying at an inn that doubles as a tavern. I love going to taverns after a long day of healing. Not just for the drinking and relaxing but for information on where our services are needed.

"So where are we heading next Helga?" asked one of my nurses.

"Why don't you ask around and find out."

"Yes Ma'am", I watch as she goes and wonder if anyone in this small village, isolated by dense forests, even know what's going on in the world around them. I hope they do or else we will be delayed for another day.

"Helga!" I'm torn from my thoughts by my name being called from someone in the crowd but I can't see who. Then I see another one of my nurses running toward me. "I learned of where we can go next."

"Where?" I asked

"There is this small village about a three days ride north of here. It's full of magic folk and the surrounding forest is also full of magical creatures, of all sorts. There is a muggle army heading there to kill everyone and to destroy whatever is left."

"Is there any wizard armies heading there to help?" I asked so I can properly assess the amount of supplies we will need to heal the wounded.

"I know for sure that Godric Gryffindor's army is, maybe 2 others but that's not confirmed.

"Inform the others of the situation and to prepare the supply cart; we'll be leaving at daybreak." Just as he was about to leave, the nurse I ordered to get information came running to us.

"I think I know where we're going to next", she said excitedly.

"If it's about the village getting attacked by the muggle army, I already know. But if you think you know something I don't, then feel free to inform me."

"Do you know which wizard army is going to help other than Godric Gryffindor's?" I shook my head in the negative, so she continued, "Rowena Ravenclaw's army is just three days away from getting there".

"Is this confirmed or just hearsay?" I asked because where Ravenclaw's army resides is extremely far north. No way did this information get to her in time for her to be three days away.

"She was four days north of the village, dealing with a troll problem, when she heard about the attack." Without knowing it she answered my questions.

"Good. Sarah help Killian with spreading the word amongst the guild", they both did as I asked.

As I sit here; I can't help but sense something big and life defining about to happen.

_Daybreak_

This morning is foggy and cold, but everyone is in good spirits. Well in as much of good spirits as you can get when heading into battle. My men and women, in yellow and black, stand by their horses at the ready. I take a look at the supply cart to insure we have enough food, water, and medical supplies.

I go to the pack on my horse to double check that I have my magical cup, which if drank from can heal any wound. I don't usually use it because I can do the same myself. I let my muggle nurses use it but when my power is drained I am forced to.

The others and I get on our horses.

I take a look at my guild; not all of them are magic but all of them are dedicated to helping people of all kinds. I commanded my guild forward to start our journey.

* * *

It has been a long day of traveling. We've just ended out first day of travel and finished setting up camp. As of right now, me and the guild are sitting around the campfire singing and telling stories of home. The members of my guild come from all over the world so you can imagine some of these stories are quite odd.

"So Helga", I'm takin out of my thoughts when Killian asked, "Where are you from? You never talk about it".

I don't talk about it for a reason, but I answer anyways, "Valley Broad, its far west".

"Tell us about your home, about your family, about anything." It's normal for them to be curious, but this was why I never mentioned anything relating to this subject. I don't want to talk about these things, especially about my family.

"There is nothing to talk about" I said in a clipped tone.

"Okay Helga"

By the tone of my voice they knew to leave it at that. Even if I tell them, about my home and past, they won't believe me. After all, how can a loyal, caring, and hard-working person have been raised by a family that are the exact opposite, by monsters?

I had an older brother; who wasn't the worse just uncaring, especially towards me. My parents were the real monsters.

My family were extremely wealthy and influential, we controlled everything in the town. To everyone on the outside we were a happy, loving family. Oh how they were wrong. My brother and parents got along fine; it was me that they had a problem with. I was never good enough. I grew up having to survive my parents' mental and physical abuse, my brother just watched not caring.

My family was like any other wealthy, pureblood family, full of prejudice and cruelty. To them any type of magical creature is an unintelligent animal and muggle-borns were just trash. They even thought half-bloods were beneath them.

I feigned agreement with my family's beliefs until I became friends with one of the house-elves. Sick and tired of watching him be mistreated, I begged my father to release him. That was the day I lost my one and only friend. To punish me, my father killed him.

I ran away that night and never looked back. I never will!

I look up around me and realized everyone went to their tents. Alone by the fire I wish I was able to talk about my past, to move on, but I can't. Maybe one day I will. With that thought I got up and went to my tent to sleep until morning.

* * *

It's the last day of travel and at daybreak tomorrow we'll be just outside the village. Last night we got lucky enough to pass a travelers inn before nightfall. There we got a little more information on the endangered village.

According to the inn keeper the village is hogsmeade, a place only known to those with magic – until now. When asked the population, the inn keeper, said it's indeterminate because it fluctuates as witches and wizards pass through all the time. Also it's unknown who is leading the Muggle Army, but it is rumored to be a prince from Fin. Even though this is just conjecture it makes sense that the army is from there.

The territory of Fin is in the eastern part of the country and is known for their cruelty towards those with magic. If you are caught using your magic there they will burn you at the stake to send a message to others. It's the one place in the world were pure-blood families think themselves as equals to half-bloods and muggleborns, because if magic users do not stick together there they will be eaten alive, like lone wolves.

If the Muggle Army is indeed from Fin the battle ahead will be long, hard, and traumatic. Warriors of Fin are skilled fighters and are as brutal as the rest of their country.

As my guild and I set up camp, at the end of the day, just a mile outside hogsmeade. I can't help but worry that Godric Gryffindor's and Rowena Ravenclaw's armies may not be strong enough to defeat this enemy. The last piece of information the inn keeper gave me was that a third wizard army was heading to help; hopefully the unknown army can give us the edge we need.

* * *

It's daybreak! Today will be a battle that I feel will be a day of either great happiness or a day of death and slavery for all magic kind.

Last night I had a dream of a grand castle. As I walk through I see young children openly using and learning magic, free of fear. What is this place? I've never been here before, but it feels like I'm meant to be here. This place feels like home, a safe haven.

The moment I woke a deep sadness filled me. There is no such place as a safe haven for anyone with magic, but I wish there was. A place where children of magic can safely learn control; a place where wizards can be safe from the muggle world around them.

My guild entered a clearing and almost instantaneously the three wizard armies entered as well. In red and gold was Godric Gryffindor's army; in blue and bronze was Rowena Ravenclaw's. The mysterious third army was in green and silver.

The men in green and silver seem brutish and unpleasant. Even though I would never want to interact with these sort of men, I am thankful that they are here to help. The mysterious army give me hope that we have the edge that was need to win. After all, when you're going up against an army known for brutality you must throw your own form brutality back.

I silently pray, to any god willing to listen, that this battle is the beginning of freedom and peace for all.


End file.
